


A Cat Knows It's Own Kin

by Gozufucker



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Cafetería, Disgusted little man, Gen, I suck at tagging this is nothing new, Spoilers, Tall creepy man, Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-26
Updated: 2017-01-26
Packaged: 2018-09-20 02:48:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9472184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gozufucker/pseuds/Gozufucker
Summary: Shinguuji and Hoshi are left alone in the cafeteria, and Hoshi uses this moment alone to talk about something.





	

**Author's Note:**

> If the tags didn't hone you in, SPOILERS FOR V3!

One by one, the students left the cafeteria. Akamatsu and Saihara their own ways, Kaito to his own, Harukawa somewhere else. The meeting today had been rather grim, and without much heart. After all, it was a real possibility that they'd die today. Monokuma's set of motives was anything but fair, practically designed to goad someone into killing. Kill someone and you get to leave without a trial! Kill someone or the whole school will be flooded by Monokuma units, killing all the students without a second's hesitation! Of course, it was always a possibility that the sadistic bear was bluffing, but Hoshi found that more than unlikely. If the bear had the willpower and the budget to set up a game on this scale, it was also insane enough to end it then and there if it wanted to.

Hoshi thought he was left alone in the cafeteria, yet when he lifted his head from the cold bowl of cereal (American kind, if he looked at the box right) his eyes met with those of Shinguuji's. The silent anthropologist had stayed on his seat, leaning back and watching the tiny tennis player with a flash of curiosity and a strange intent behind those eyes. Hoshi felt unnerved. This didn't happen to him usually, yet there was a very good reason as to why the anthropologist made him feel as if he was back on those roofs, murdering mafia. He shoved one spoonful of cereal into his mouth, chewing and crunching slowly, emotionless eyes staring back to Shinguuji. Could he feel fear, this masked man?

"Oi."

Hoshi spoke with a casual tinge to his voice, eliciting a singular tilt of the head from Shinguuji. He made no other motions, as if his body had grown stiff and dead, before then letting out that laugh... The laugh that'd ring through Hoshi's ears for a good while.

"Khi khi khi. What is it, Hoshi? Is my presence making you..." The pause is momentary as Shinguuji tries to word himself in a "good" manner, even though the intent is all but naught. "Uncomfortable, perhaps? I am sorry, I can take my leave."

But before Shinguuji can rise, Hoshi lifts a hand, patting it down on the table a few times, signalling that the other should stay put. He chewed on some more of the cereal, spinning his spoon around the bowl. It was a strange thing, this situation. The killing game... But also having him and this man in the same room. Originally, he hadn't thought much of Shinguuji. Just another cultural deviant with his head in the clouds, far too focused on abstract concepts to realize anything in practice. Yet now, more than ever, he had started to realize something that made his stomach turn and churn at such a speed it almost made him wish he could leave for the bathroom.

"You've been spending a lot of time with Akamatsu. Having fun bonding?" His question sounds very innocent on paper, yet his tone and look imply something far darker than just some innocent hanging out. Hoshi chomps down on the spoon again, cheeks puffing out for a moment before then flattening with a gulp.

Shinguuji lifts a bandaged arm to rest against his cheek, softly, almost as if he's scared of touching himself. Hoshi has been theorizing for a while that the bandaged man hates touching others. He never seems to form contact, and the bandages, and his in general covering clothing... He wouldn't be surprised if he hated touching himself as well. But that wasn't the topic of discussion here.

"Hm? Akamatsu...? Ah, yes. She's come to me a few times these past days, to discuss." He sounds calm and casual, but his eyes bore into Ryoma, digging through his body like a pair of drills. "A nice woman. I'm sure nee-san would like her. I suggested her that we could arrange a meeting, when all of us leave this place unharmed..." 

Hoshi shivers. He had heard Shinguuji mention his sister in passing from time to time, usually when the tennis player was going through the hallways and spotted Shinguuji conversing with someone. Hoshi had noticed another thing during those things, and that, combined what he doubted, made him feel even more sick. Disgusted, even. Yet he kept shoveling the cereal down his mouth, eyes shading and glazing a little while they focused on Shinguuji, just to make sure he wouldn't get up and leave the tennis player hanging.

"I've noticed that you seem to mostly discuss with the girls of this group." Be it with Yonaga about gathering blood for her god and the cultural implications of such an undertaking, or trying to strike conversation about Neo-Aikido and it's practice Tenko (with poor results), or expressing interest in Yumeno's magic shows. "I never took you for a playboy."

Shinguuji seems surprised for a moment, before collapsing into another sinister, yet light laugh. His hand falls from his cheek and to lean against the table, fixing his hat for a moment. "Kukuku. I'd never. I promised nee-san..." Pause. "That she would be the one to help me find someone when I'm old enough, and when my studies are at a period where I can pause them for such things." He sighs, almost dreamily, staring up at the roof. "If I ever find interest in romance. I've always thought human beauty is far too good for someone like me..." His eyes close. "Besides, Hoshi. I do talk to men as well."

That was true, Hoshi had to admit so. However...

"Not for very long, I've noticed. Saihara you turned away after a moment of awkward chatter. Momota seemed to tire you out within a short time period. Gokuhara lasted longer than the others, but even him you left after some time. Your discussions with females are more involved. Longer in length. Determining their likes, trying to drive into them a little."

Crunch, crunch. Hoshi gulped loudly. He pulled his cap down to cover the top half of his eyes, the edge of his mouth lifting up a little into a smirk. 

"Care to try and deny that, hm?"

Shinguuji let out a sound that almost sounded like a grunt of frustration, yet it dissipated as soon it had begun, leaving only a deflating noise that sounded like a balloon. He didn't really have a way to disprove the other. If Hoshi knew that much about his social habits, it was clear that he had no way to prove him wrong about them. It was best to drive into the heart of the topic.

"Maybe I do discuss with females more, hm. I did grow up with a sister. Females have always been... Easier to discuss with, for me. Is there something wrong with that? I can assure you, my intentions are utterly"

Hoshi interjects without a moment's notice.

"Murderous?"

Shinguuji's breath halts. His eyes rip open more than usual, staring at the little man at the opposite end of the table, smugly consuming cereal while those half covered eyes just stare, causing him to become more than a little irritating to stare at. He has trouble gathering himself from such a sudden accusation, especially when he's acted nothing of the sort.

"A killer knows another, Shinguuji. I can't claim to know your motives, or how you'd go about killing someone..." His voice goes grim. It's as if a massive shadow hangs over his whole body. "But, I'm sure of one fact. You aren't discussing with the girls of our group just because you've found an easier time connecting with them. The way you look at people. Your body language, to some extent. It's well hidden, but that intent. That killing intent shines through you like the rising sun shines through the window."

Shinguuji tightens his bandaged hand onto a fist, but soon relaxes it. He hunches forwards, hair resting against the glass table, until that hellish noise comes out again. It's almost guttural. Or Hoshi could just be imagining it, as if a demon is coming.

"Kukukukuku. You're quick to project and accuse, Hoshi." Shinguuji's voice remains calm, soon leaning back as if nothing had happened, presenting a hand forwards, as if beckoning for explanations. "I'm sure your life has been... Beautifully tragic and full of murder and danger, Hoshi. Yet, you shouldn't project a life like that onto others just because of that trauma. My curiosity in others is merely for my pet theory... For discovering human beauty." 

He grins beneath the mask. "Besides, what would nee-san say if I killed someone and went to jail? Or worse, if she somehow saw me do all kinds of dirty deeds such as murder? Oh, I couldn't face her after that. And I love nee-san enough to ensure that I'd never disappoint her like this."

Hoshi grit his teeth, finishing the bowl of cereal in a hurry, standing up. A cold sweat ran down his brow as he stared at Shinguuji. The cold, unmoving, almost corpselike Shinguuji who smelled of ancient texts and tales yet untold. Along with that intent, that intent to murder. It hung around him like a putrid stench, a dark aura in the shape of a flame, constantly burning around him, in his eyes. Hoshi shook his head and sighed.

"Well. I'll let you know one thing. Or, let me say two, and then I'll leave you behind with my "projections."

He glares at the other coldly, words dry and hanging in the air.

"Don't kill anyone. If you do, I'll make sure Monokuma has nothing left to execute when I'm done with you." It's unusual for the tiny tennis player to threaten anyone with explicit violence. The most he has done is glare threateningly at Iruma if she's piped up to her lewd tirades around him, yet this was a first where he threatened body-breaking violence.

"As for the second thing..." He turned and hopped off of his chair, pitter pattering through the hall, reaching the door. He pushed it open. "You disgust me. From one killer to another." 

With those words, Hoshi exits the cafeteria, door closing after him with a clack that echoed through the halls. Shinguuji remained seated and fixed his cap over his eyes, hiding them from view, although they focused on the security camera that was watching him. He almost felt as if the lense was zooming right on him, lifting a hand to wave a few fingers towards it.

"Don't worry, nee-san. Threats like that won't stop me."


End file.
